"Kite Flying and Clean Monday" Athens Local Custom Tip by janetanne

Every year on Clean Monday, the Greek people, young and old alike, can be seen out in the countrysides, flying kites! Now, what does this have to do with the beginning of Lent? That's a good question that research must be done in order to answer! Check back later and I might have found the answer as I am fascinated by this myself, just never thought about it much! Isn't it interesting, how so many of our different cultural traditions have been happening for so long, that we have lost the original intent and meaning? How many of these traditions do you have in your country?

The easiest 'Clean Monday' tradition to explain is the custom of eating certain foods. It is well known that during the 40 days preceeding Easter, many Christians eliminate meat and oil from their diets. So, it doesn't seem strange that on the first day of this long fast, that certain foods should be eaten, among which are squid, octopus, oysters and other mussels and a special fish egg dip called 'tarama,' but excluding the actual fish as fish is not eaten! In addition, various assortments of pickles and unleavened bread should be eaten. On Clean Monday, it is thus the day that traditionally we 'clean out' our cupboards of any foods that should not be eaten during these 40 days.